iPhone SDK Released Videos and Thoughts

The long awaited iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) is finally here.

The iPhone SDK includes the Xcode IDE, Instruments, iPhone simulator, frameworks and samples, compilers, Shark analysis tool, and more.

You can watch the keynote in QuickTime courtesy of Apple.

During the introduction Apple trotted out developers who were given 2 weeks with the SDK to show some demos.

EA Spore


Sega SuperMonkeyBall

Details of the Developer Program were also announced along with the new iApp Store at iTunes. Commercial and Free application developers join for $99. Enterprise Developers fork over $299. iApps will be available for purchase or free at iTunes.


Looking good, Now what is the catch?

The Catches

SDK Download is for Registered Developers only. Don't get me wrong, you don't have to pay to download it. But you do have promise not to talk about all the wonderful stuff registering gives you access to.

SDK only runs on Mac Leopard machines. No usable VM solution as of yet. Leaving Windows and Linux developers in the lurch.

Paying your iDeveloper dues gets you access to the iApp store, where Apple will deliver your iProduct for an iFee of 30% of the purchase price*.

*Apple reserves the right to not distribute "bad" apps. Right now that list consists of Porn, Bandwidth hogging apps, and other applications of questionable legality. Meaning if your app streams porn over a torrent, you probably won't see it on iTunes. Apple promises VOIP apps will be available as long as they use wifi and not the cellular network.

Note: OpenGL ES is not supported in the iPhone simulator. Total Bummer.

All in all, Apple iPhone/iPod Touch SDK gets a tentative thumbs up. I'd like to be more positive, but... when I click download SDK I see:

Access Denied

If you need assistance, please contact the ADC Support Team.

That and my Linux only development tendencies are going to seriously hamper my iPhone application development efforts.


MrCopilot